The Future of Animal Rights: AI, Sentience, and Legal Ownership [Part 1]

“Sentience is in many respects a threshold concept so that means that you reach a certain level of sentience and you get protection. Where is that level and how do we decide it? … There are examples of sentience in invertebrates and in insects and yet why do we not address that in the welfare laws?”

From the famous Monkey Selfie Case to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, we explore how technological advancements and our growing understanding of animal sentience could reshape legal personhood.

In this first episode, we were joined by Professor Johanna Gibson from Queen Mary University of London. With a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and a Juris Doctor from the University of Queensland, Professor Gibson helped us tackle legal issues regarding the current state of animal rights, and discuss what the future may hold in this evolving landscape.